Socrates set a high goal for all of us when he said, “Know thyself.”

Over the past few weeks I have been trying to do just that; trying to know myself better.  Over my next few post, I want to share what that journey has looked like for me.

Step 1: Take a test.

Two weeks ago I took a test out of a book called Strength Finder 2.0.

I think the guys that write these test must be experts in flattery.  Or maybe I just like reading stuff that describes me.  I liked all of them except strength 1. It didn’t sit well with me (I’ll explain later) but I agree with the results. And love the book/test.  You should get the book and take the test!

A brief exclamation of each of my strengths:

Achiever

People who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive.

Focus

People who are especially talented in the Focus theme can take a direction, follow through, and make the corrections necessary to stay on track. They prioritize, then act.

Input

People who are especially talented in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information.

Positivity

People who are especially talented in the Positivity theme have an enthusiasm that is contagious. They are upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do.

Individualization

People who are especially talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively.

3 Tips for Improvement

1. Your mind is open and absorbent. You naturally soak up information in the same way that a sponge soaks up water. But just as the primary purpose of the sponge is not to permanently contain what it absorbs, neither should your mind simply store information. Input without output can lead to stagnation. As you gather and absorb information, be aware of the individuals and groups that can most benefit from your knowledge, and be intentional about sharing with them.

2. Deliberately increase your vocabulary. Collect new words, and learn the meaning of each of them.
Identify situations in which you can share the information you have collected with other people. Also make sure to let your friends and colleagues know that you enjoy answering their questions.

3. Your presentations and speaking opportunities will be most engaging when you relate your topic to the experiences of individuals in the audience. Use your Individualization talents to gather and share real-life stories that will make your points much better than would generic information or theories.

They gave me a HUGE list of tips for improvement. Those are just my favorite.